Living in the Spirit
August 9, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Matthew 14:22-33 

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ — Matthew 14:22-27

It surely feels like we are in a boat that is about to capsize. The waves of war are beating against us as strife increases in Syria and Iraq, in Israel and Gaza, and in Ukraine and Russia.  The winds of crime blow across our own country with what seems like ever increasing senselessness. Our crime is also impacted by the drug cartels from Mexico and Central America. And in all these plays on power and greed, it is the children who suffer. In times like these, Jesus had to go up the mountain by himself to pray. He sets a good example for us as he apparently did for Abraham Lincoln who said:

I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.  

We do serve a risen Savior He’s in the world today.* We need to lock onto that reality and into the word “serve”. If we go up the mountain and pray or in the backyard or in a quiet park, we too will find the guidance we need to deal with both the waves and the winds of life.

Prayer: Lord, we do not know even how to pray about the problems across our world, the needs of people caught in the crossfires of human thirst for power and money. We are especially concerned for the innocents being forever damaged if not killed. Open our hearts and minds to see more clearly what we are doing that may be contributing to the strife. Guide us in our actions and attitudes. Make us a blessing to the nations. Amen.

*From Hymn: He Lives by Alfred H. Ackley

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.